Waxing Guide

I followed your kick wax advice but now I slip too much / don't slide enough...what do I do?

There are two opposite scenarios bound up in this one question, the answers for which we will explore below:

Scenario #1: Skis are NOT getting enough grip (you slide backwards embarassingly often and have little traction). There are a few possible explanations and solutions for lack of grip.

Check the integrity of your kick wax job. Did you remember to crayon and cork in three or four thin smooth layers? If not, perhaps the snow surface has abraded it away. Be honest. Admit that you crayoned on a super thick layer because you were feeling lazy, and it quickly wore off.
Extend your wax pocket forward. Sometimes you can get a more substantial kick by increasing the forward length of your wax pocket by two or three inches. See what happens. It may work great, it may do nothing, or your skis might begin sticking during your glide phase, depending on what the root cause of the problem was. Hopefully you brought some wax with you on your ski, otherwise you might try cursing at your ski bases.
Try applying the next warmer wax over top. If you skis are still slipping, most likely the wax you chose is too hard for the snow conditions; the crystals are not sharp enough to penentrate the wax layer you have applied (this process is what gives you traction). So crayon a softer, warmer temperature wax on top of the current job and cork it in. That should take care of things!
If all of the above fails, then maybe your skis are too stiff for you. Calmly remove your skis, posthole your way to the nearest cliff, and throw them off. Or, bring them into Omer & Bob's and let us have a look--then let us recommend a cliff if need be. A ski that is too stiff will not "close" when you put all your weight on it, meaning you will not be able to force the entire kick zone flat against the snow to get traction. You could also try gaining some weight, which is easily done if it is still pre-Holiday Season.

Scenario #2: Skis are getting TOO much grip (snow builds up underfoot, your glide is sticky and slow). Try the solutions below, before you lose your cool.

As above, it is better to cork in several smooth, thin layers than a big goopy one. Make sure that is the case. Also, it helps to remove old kick wax with base cleaner and a rag (it picks up pine needles, grit, bark, etc.) because snow sticks readily to a dirty wax job. It is best to clean your kick zone and reapply (even if the wax is the same) each time out, though the necessity of this depends on the duration of your skiing and the quality of the snow.
Make sure that you didn't choose too warm of a wax for the conditions, because this is common cause of snow packing up underfoot. Warm waxes are softer, and if the snow crystals are colder and sharp, they will penetrate the wax layer (good) but will not readily release when you begin to glide (bad). Scrape off the wax and try something colder.
Obviously you might want to make sure you've GLIDE waxed your skis recently, though choosing the correct glide wax is not as important as choosing the correct kick wax in Nordic skiing.
If you're on waxless skis, make sure you've applied a liquid or paste wax to the entire ski base recently. Snow will ice-up and bond to a waxless pattern that is dry and oxidized, creating more friction and headache for the skier. You want those bases to look like a well-oiled iron skillet, midnight black (folks with white bases should not be offended). Make sure you do this every 20 miles or so.
Lastly, your skis could be too soft for you. I know you don't want to hear this, but you may be too heavy for the camber of your skis. When both skis are equally weighted, the wax pocket should ideally be hovering off of the snow, so it does not slow your glide. A skier who is too heavy for the skis will compress the camber too easily and though the skis will grip and climb well, they will not provide that effortless glide we all seek. Come into the store and let us check your setup out.

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Bike: Johnny's 10 Bike Tips Local MTB Rides Ski & Board: How-To Waxing Guide Winter Ski/Board F.A.Q. 06-07 Ski Gallery		Waxing Guide back to FAQ I followed your kick wax advice but now I slip too much / don't slide enough...what do I do? There are two opposite scenarios bound up in this one question, the answers for which we will explore below: Scenario #1: Skis are NOT getting enough grip (you slide backwards embarassingly often and have little traction). There are a few possible explanations and solutions for lack of grip. Check the integrity of your kick wax job. Did you remember to crayon and cork in three or four thin smooth layers? If not, perhaps the snow surface has abraded it away. Be honest. Admit that you crayoned on a super thick layer because you were feeling lazy, and it quickly wore off. Extend your wax pocket forward. Sometimes you can get a more substantial kick by increasing the forward length of your wax pocket by two or three inches. See what happens. It may work great, it may do nothing, or your skis might begin sticking during your glide phase, depending on what the root cause of the problem was. Hopefully you brought some wax with you on your ski, otherwise you might try cursing at your ski bases. Try applying the next warmer wax over top. If you skis are still slipping, most likely the wax you chose is too hard for the snow conditions; the crystals are not sharp enough to penentrate the wax layer you have applied (this process is what gives you traction). So crayon a softer, warmer temperature wax on top of the current job and cork it in. That should take care of things! If all of the above fails, then maybe your skis are too stiff for you. Calmly remove your skis, posthole your way to the nearest cliff, and throw them off. Or, bring them into Omer & Bob's and let us have a look--then let us recommend a cliff if need be. A ski that is too stiff will not "close" when you put all your weight on it, meaning you will not be able to force the entire kick zone flat against the snow to get traction. You could also try gaining some weight, which is easily done if it is still pre-Holiday Season. Scenario #2: Skis are getting TOO much grip (snow builds up underfoot, your glide is sticky and slow). Try the solutions below, before you lose your cool. As above, it is better to cork in several smooth, thin layers than a big goopy one. Make sure that is the case. Also, it helps to remove old kick wax with base cleaner and a rag (it picks up pine needles, grit, bark, etc.) because snow sticks readily to a dirty wax job. It is best to clean your kick zone and reapply (even if the wax is the same) each time out, though the necessity of this depends on the duration of your skiing and the quality of the snow. Make sure that you didn't choose too warm of a wax for the conditions, because this is common cause of snow packing up underfoot. Warm waxes are softer, and if the snow crystals are colder and sharp, they will penetrate the wax layer (good) but will not readily release when you begin to glide (bad). Scrape off the wax and try something colder. Obviously you might want to make sure you've GLIDE waxed your skis recently, though choosing the correct glide wax is not as important as choosing the correct kick wax in Nordic skiing. If you're on waxless skis, make sure you've applied a liquid or paste wax to the entire ski base recently. Snow will ice-up and bond to a waxless pattern that is dry and oxidized, creating more friction and headache for the skier. You want those bases to look like a well-oiled iron skillet, midnight black (folks with white bases should not be offended). Make sure you do this every 20 miles or so. Lastly, your skis could be too soft for you. I know you don't want to hear this, but you may be too heavy for the camber of your skis. When both skis are equally weighted, the wax pocket should ideally be hovering off of the snow, so it does not slow your glide. A skier who is too heavy for the skis will compress the camber too easily and though the skis will grip and climb well, they will not provide that effortless glide we all seek. Come into the store and let us check your setup out. back to FAQ